Easy To Forget
by pbmaxca
Summary: A Ron & Hermione love story...
1. Chapter 1

9026.doc

Written by pbmaxca

BetaRead by seegrim

Property of © 1999-2007

**Chapter 1: Is It All Worth It?**

Inspired by the song: I Want To Hear What You Have Got To Say (Sung By The Subways) 

"_He's using you…" Ron said._

"_How dare you!" Hermione spit out at him, her anger coming out quickly. "Besides, I can take care of myself!"_

_He spoke slowly when he spoke. "Doubt it, he's way too old for you."_

"_What?" she said using an even more angered tone. "What, that's what you think?"_

"_Yeah," he shrugged a little, "That's what I think."_

"_Well you know the solution then don't you."_

"_Go on," Ron replied to a sentence that was clearly only beginning._

"_Next time there's a ball…" She barely breathed as she yelled at him, "Pluck up the courage and ask me before somebody else does, and not as a last resort!"_

With that Ron shot up from where he lay in bed. Light shown through the window to his left temporarily blinding him since he'd forgotten to close the heavy drapes that surrounded the four-poster bed the night before.

"Another day is here, and I'm still alive," Ron mumbled to himself as his eyes began to focus.

Some mornings were better than others, but lately getting up to go to classes was killing him. He knew that his school days were coming to a close and school itself wasn't that hard, but he wished for the day when he could take the train back to Platform 9 ¾ on his way back to the Burrow

He lay back down and rubbed his face wondering if there was a spell he could use that would fast forward him through his morning routine. Showering and dressing seemed so boring and especially hard to do after a long night of drinking with his friends in the Prefects' bathroom. They all should have gone to bed early considering that they had classes in the morning, but now that they'd gotten further in their studies and had learned enough spells to play pranks on each other it was hard to go to sleep. Besides, who knew that Fred and George could fail so miserably in their ability to stay focused in class but were intelligent enough to cause what looked like a simple Pumpkin Pastie do something that would make someone talk as if they'd been sucking on helium. Drunk, squeaking guys were the funniest.

There was no doubt as to where his stress came from these days. It came from one of the most unlikely places, from one Miss-Snotty-Hermione-Granger in particular. He'd thought they'd gotten over their oil and water relationship years ago. That whole Wingardium Leviosa thing had been a laugh.

Things had changed a little since they'd first met. He'd thought for many months this past school year that they were getting closer, but he guessed that the fiasco that happened when she'd gone to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum still hadn't been resolved. He still wasn't sure why she was upset with him. She'd been asked to the ball, even bragged that she and Viktor were writing each other, but when he saw her in the halls or in the common room she still was giving him the cold shoulder.

"Get up Ron!" Harry yelled from somewhere in the room.

"'M Up!" he yelled back and finally pushed himself up. Dressed in messy hand-me-down pajamas, he moved towards the bathroom, quickly glancing to see Harry standing at the other end of their bedroom. He was intently reading a piece of parchment, so he didn't bother to say hello, just went on his merry way to get ready for the day.

It was a little less than an hour later when he finally shuffled his way into his second try at Divination. He didn't want to be in the class, but after failing it, his mother decided that he should retry the class. He hated sometimes that his brothers got such good grades. He really did try, but there were some things he just couldn't get to stick in his head.

"Hermione!"

Ron's head snapped up from his shuffling, his real sulking over the fact that he was in Divination again to find Neville Longbottom waving his hand over his head in the air towards the far end of the hall. In his other arm was a copy of _Encyclopedia Of Toadstools_ which seemed to have seen better days. Ron knew that Neville liked Herbology, but it looked as if he couldn't get enough of the subject considering the state of the book he was carrying.

Although it seemed there were a million kids in the hall at the time, Hermione appeared from deep in the crowd and jogged her way towards Neville. She wore the normal robes that the other students in his year wore. She didn't add anything to the uniform, even though some of the girls would pin things to their sweaters or robes, but somehow her things just looked newer and shinier than the others around her. Right down to the small SPEW (Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare ) pin that was barely visible at the end of her scarlet and gold Gryffindor tie.

"Did you finish that homework?" she asked Neville.

He nodded.

Ron watched intently, feeling strange for doing it, but not enough to turn away. He wanted to hear what she had to say. They hadn't talked in weeks and he found himself missing that bossy voice that she seemed to slip into even when she wasn't barking orders to her fellow students are (or) shouting the finer points of Elfish Welfare.

When their conversation lowered Ron leaned in closer and found himself tripping over Angelina Johnson's foot. He didn't fall from his feet, but he looked awkward as he stutter-stepped a few feet in the direction of Hermione and Neville.

"Ron, are you okay?" she asked.

He nodded. Although there was no reason for him to be dizzy, he found himself a little less steady on his feet than he should have been. Maybe it was his embarrassment coming to the surface as a few students looked in his direction. The only ones he saw were Neville and Hermione both staring at him with shocked looks on their faces.

"Ron," Angelina said, putting a hand out to touch his shoulder. Her other hand brushed one of her braided pigtails over her shoulder. He was amazed that even at this age she was prone to wearing her hair in that style, but being sporty, it seemed to suit her. "Are you sure you're ok?"

Hermione's expression instantly fell. He hated when that happened and it seemed to be happening often when he was around. He'd see her laughing and joking with her classmates, even Harry, but when he approached her it was as if someone blew out the light of whatever candle she was holding.

He swallowed hard trying to picture her smile again. He liked her smile. It was one of her best features despite her hatred of it. It probably came from the fact that her parents were dentists. He probably hated Muggle things just as much as she hated dentistry.

Her icy eyes stared at him for the longest time as if his tripping had interrupted her whole day. She finally seemed to roll her eyes as she turned her back to him and spoke to Neville. "I've got a class of first years I was told to show around the library. I'll see you later, Neville."

Neville squeaked out a goodbye to her and disappeared as well, probably heading out towards the greenhouses.

"Yes," Ron said and straightened up seeing that Hermione wasn't coming back any time soon. He ran a hand through his hair, "Have you talked to Fred lately?"

"No." She laughed a bit, her perfectly white teeth gleaming at him. She always had a great smile, unlike Hermione's slightly imperfect set of teeth. "Last I heard his and George's business was going well."

"Yep," he said, knowing that he was already running out of things to say to her. "What about Quidditch?" He knew that the team was going fine, but he asked anyway. "Going ok?"

She laughed again. "Very much so."

"Well," he said when he finally noticed that students were going into their classrooms. "I've got to get to class. I'll see you later."

"Okay," she said with a smile, "If you see your brother, tell him I said hello."

Ron nodded and moved towards Divination. "I will."


	2. Chapter 2

JLBFFdotCOM

(c) 1999-2007 Pit Pat Productions

002: 5/17/07  
Prompt: 016. See Who I Am 

TITLE: Through the Eyes of A Stranger  
SONG: #016 – See Who I Am (Sung by Within Temptation)  
AUTHOR: pbmaxca  
RATING: PG  
PAIRING: Ron/Hermione  
WORD COUNT: 1,796  
SUMMARY: Hermione has a secret.  
DISCLAIMER: NONE

Hearing his voice around the corner, she shut her eyes and prayed that he'd go to class and leave her alone. She didn't want to have to deal with real life today. She'd done her studying and even managed to see him for a moment in the hallway, although it had been a miserable situation for the two of them, before giving her tour to the first years of the library. She had one more thing to do that day before she planned on disappearing into the nether parts of Hogwart's so that she could ease some of the tension that had built up inside her.

She thought for a moment. While she knew that there wasn't a light bulb above her head that flipped on, she sure felt like it. There was only one thing that would make her feel better, getting to see Ron without him knowing she was seeing him, and she planned on doing that right away.

Feeling the metal necklace around her neck, she pulled out the hourglass that hung there. She was sure that the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, specifically the Improper Use of Magic Office would hate the fact that she was using the device this way, but it was her only choice. If she was going to stay sane and stay in school she was going to have to use the Time-Turner.

Trying to remember what time she'd seen Neville in the hallway, she spun the hourglass back about a twist and a half knowing that the number of times she turned it, was the number of hours she could travel back in time.

As the rest of the world moved around her, she took a deep breath until she was back to the past, an hour or so before. The hallway was empty of students. She guessed immediately that the first class of the day had yet to begin, which meant Ron probably was just dragging himself out of bed and would appear near Divination just as the crowd of students attending early classes were getting out.

Moving carefully, knowing that she'd been in the halls after early classes, she wound her way towards the opposite end of the hall from where she'd come from to talk to Neville that morning. Finding the doorway to a supply closet, she tucked herself behind a wall hanging and let her face peak out.

This was a lot of trouble to go through just to see him, she knew that much, but it was the only solution she'd been able to come up with. She couldn't, or rather wouldn't, have contact with him face to face. It was too dangerous.

Her boggart in the past had been her professors, particularly Professor McGonagall, telling her that she'd failed her classes. For a book worm like her, this was almost worse than death. She'd prided herself on being a good student and knew that she'd done all she could to get good grades, well in most of her subjects anyway.

To fail now would send her into counseling for sure. Definitely a visit with Madam Pomfrey would be in order as well as a trip to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries to cure her from that fright. She wondered though if she would become petrified the way that she'd been when she'd looked in the gaze of the Basilisk. She hoped Madam Pomfrey had Mandrake again to cure her of it.

While failing was her ultimate fear, recently her boggart had changed to one that she'd liked even less. It was the image of Ron yelling at her and screaming at her and telling her that he never wanted to speak to her again. Although it might be strange to do exactly what her boggart was showing her, she'd chosen to stay away from Ron if possible, at least until she found out the source of the change in her boggart. She was hoping that Professor Snape could help her figure it out, but she'd been intimidated by him in their last few meetings and hadn't been able to ask for help.

She figured in the meantime, despite her highly intelligent and purely logical mind, that the less contact she had with Ron, the fewer chances their were to get him mad at her.

As full classes emptied into the hallway, Hermione hid herself. For a moment she wished she had Harry's Invisibility Cloak. It might be dangerous to use in the crowded hall, but she'd be able to stand right next to Ron with it.

When Ron appeared in the hallway she felt herself holding her breath. She was sure she was out of sight, but she didn't move a muscle. Watching closely she saw her earlier self appear from the crowd and talk to Neville.

She couldn't quite hear what she was talking to Neville about, but she didn't have to hear it again. She'd asked him clearly what she was wondering now. "Is Ron looking?"

"Yes," Neville had answered, clearly sympathetic to her need to be near Ron without being face to face. He hesitated, opening his mouth and shutting it a few times, before finally speaking. "You two really need to talk."

"I can't," she said leaning closer to him. She had told Neville about her Boggart, but didn't want anyone else to know. He already had realized that she was an emotional mess over the whole situation so he didn't comment on the way her eyes had glassed over with tears.

She watched as Ron tripped and fell over Angelina's foot then turned to watch her own reaction to his clumsiness.

She watched her own expression instantly fall. She hadn't meant to frown so at him, but she couldn't help but feel that he was looking for attention since she was so clearly ignoring him. She didn't want to keep her distance, she wanted to tell him that, but she knew that she couldn't.

Her icy eyes stared at him for the longest time. She didn't look like herself. There was no expression in her eyes at all, she actually looked like she was a dead person. She couldn't remember exactly what had gone through her head at the moment, but she knew that she'd had trouble staying strong and not breaking into tears.

"Say something," she mumbled from behind the wall hanging. She only wished that she had ESP so that she could change the outcome of the exchange since it was so clearly painful for the both of them.

Watching herself now, in a mirror reflection, was scary. She felt bad about the way she had acted. In the moment it always seemed like the right thing to do, but seeing it from another angle told her instantly just how horrible she looked to other people. She 'd always had the reputation of being cold and distant and now she understood why.

"Say something," she mumbled again.

When someone near her seemed to hear her, she moved further back into the wall hanging before she moved along the stone wall towards the far end of the hanging which gave her an even better view of the exchange.

The hurt in his eyes was evident. She made an effort to send out a prayer to whoever was listening that Ron was a good guy and that she hoped he would have the patience and understanding in his heart to forgive her when all of this was over.

She watched herself finally roll her eyes as she turned her back to him and spoke to Neville. She remembered feeling tears starting to pull at her eyes and she had tried her hardest not to let them fall. "I've got a class of first years told show around the library. I'll see you later Neville."

Neville squeaked out a goodbye to her and disappeared as well probably heading out towards the Greenhouse.

She turned her attention back to Ron watching his exchange with Angelina.

"Yes," he said and straightened up. He ran a hand through his hair, "Have you talked to Fred lately?"

"No," she laughed a bit, her perfectly white teeth gleaming at him. Hermione hated her own smile and found herself instantly jealous of Angelina's. "Last I heard he and George's business was going well though."

"Yep." Ron looked as if he was already running out of things to say to her. Somehow that brought Hermione some kind of satisfaction. Despite their separation the last few weeks she knew that the two of them could talk to each other for hours on end even about the weather. "What about Quidditch?" She knew that the team was doing well, but he asked anyway. "Going ok?"

Angelina laughed again. For a moment Hermione felt jealousy towards the other girl. She just seemed to be acting too friendly towards him all of a sudden. "Very much so."

"Well," he said when he finally noticed that students were going into their classrooms. "I've got to get to class. I'll see you later."

"Ok," she said with a smile, "If you see your brother, tell him I said hello."

Ron nodded and moved towards Divination. "I will."

Hermione waited until the coast was clear then stepped out from behind the wall hanging. While she wished she could spend time watching through the small window in the door as Ron sat through his second round of Divination, she knew that she needed to get back to the present, so she quickly turned the Time-Turner back to where she'd started from and instantly was back in the present.

Instantly she felt herself being pushed into the wall, as if someone was walking by her and hadn't noticed her standing there. "Hermione!"

When she realized that it was the red hair and blue eyes of the one person in the world she didn't want to see staring back at her she pursed her lips and made her voice as gravely as possible, showing anger instead of relief at finally seeing him face to face. "Ronald!"

"Sorry," he said looking down, "I didn't see you there." He looked at her with a confused look and scratched his head, "I swear you weren't there a minute ago."

She wanted to smile at him for being so cute in a moment like this, but didn't.

"Next time look where you're going." Without another word she turned and stalked down the hallway towards her next class. Knowing that no one would notice, she pulled her robe tightly around her, crossed her arms and let the tears that she'd wanted to shed earlier finally fall. She knew that she had somewhere else to be, but no one in her next class would notice her tears.

**See Who I Am Lyrics**  
Artist (Band):Within Temptation

Is it true what they say,  
Are we too blind to find a way?  
Fear of the unknown cloud our hearts today.  
Come into my world,  
See through my eyes.  
Try to understand,  
Don't want to lose what we have

We've been dreaming  
But who can deny,  
It's the best way of living  
Between the truth and the lies

See who I am,  
Break through the surface.  
Reach for my hand,  
Let's show them that we can  
Free our minds and find a way.  
The world is in our hands,  
This is not the end.

Fear is withering the soul  
At the point of no return.  
We must be the change  
We wish to see.  
I'll come into your world,  
See through your eyes.  
I'll try to understand,  
Before we lose what we have.

We just can't stop believing  
cause we have to try.  
We can rise above  
Their truth and their lies.

Chorus

See who I am,  
Break through the surface.  
Reach for my hand,  
Let's show them that we can  
Free our minds and find a way.  
The world is in our hands,  
This is not the end.

I hear the silence  
Preaching my blame.  
Will our strength remain  
If their power reigns?

Chorus x2

this is not the end.

(c) 1999-2007 Pit Pat Productions Email Me


	3. Chapter 3

JLBFFdotCOM

(c) 1999-2007 Pit Pat Productions

003: 5/18/07  
Prompt: 063. Stars 

TITLE: Place The Blame  
SONG: #063 – Stars (Sung By Switchfoot)  
AUTHOR: pbmaxca  
RATING: PG  
PAIRING: Ron/Hermione  
WORD COUNT: 1,209  
SUMMARY: Ron sees something he doesn't want to face. Is this really happening?  
DISCLAIMER: NONE

Divination class had never been his favorite, but that day it seemed to drag on even longer than normal. He tended to get bored easily in the class, so that wasn't a surprise, but it was strange the way he was entertaining himself that day, actually using something that he'd learned in class to waste some time.

As Professor Trelawney moved around the classroom, Ron took out a few of his books and began to scan the pages. The flipping pages made a sound that seemed to echo in the room, but no one seemed to notice. The only thing people ever noticed about him in that class was that he was a year older than everyone who was taking the lowest level of the course.

He stopped on one of the star charts they'd used two days before. It looked like a blueprint of sorts, except this "building" was a big circle that seemed to have a spider's web in the middle of it.

Despite his skeptical attitude towards the whole process, he remembered that the chart's details were known to be useful in understanding, interpreting, and organizing information about personality, human affairs, and other terrestrial matters. He knew that if he alone couldn't figure out Hermione, then this chart definitely could, or at least Professor Trelawney would say it would.

Pulling out a quill, he opened his ink and scratched out a few details while skimming the books for new information. He had to find out something, if anything, about September 19, 1979, Hermione's birthday.

As the blueprint of the chart began to take shape, something strange seemed to happen. The page seemed to draw itself and as a lightheaded feeling covered him, he found himself looking into some sort of parallel world, much the way he'd found out that Harry had seen the past by looking through The Pensieve that Dumbledore had in his office. Except these memories weren't his or anyone else's he'd known. He recognized everyone of course, it was he and Hermione arguing which wasn't out of the ordinary, he was just confused because he wasn't the one who had said these horrible things to her.

_Ron: Go on. _  
_Hermione: Next time there's a ball, pluck up the courage and ask me before somebody else does, and NOT as a last resort!_

The images on the page stared at each other for a moment. Ron looked around and wondered if anyone else could hear their conversation. When he saw a few of the first years intently reading tea leaves he guessed that they weren't paying attention.

_Ron: "No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood."_

"Hey!" he yelled out.

"Ronald?" Professor Trelawney said.

"Sorry Professor," he said and scrunched down in his desk so that he could continue to watch. School desks weren't the most comfortable and trying to cram his long legs into the desk was uncomfortable.

_Hermione: Mudblood?_

His mouth fell open as the images moved in front of him. He wanted to reach in there and flick himself in the head for treating Hermione that way. He'd never spoken to her in that manner in the past so why would he speak to her like that now.

No wonder she hated him. If this is what they had to look forward to, then no wonder she was staying away from him. He knew that he could barely say the word Mudblood aloud, but it seemed as if the times had changed him and that the word was free flowing now.

_Ron: " Mudblood."_

That's when it dawned on him. Maybe this wasn't the past. Maybe this was the future. Despite growing up in a very muggle-tolerant home, probably one of the most tolerant in the world, he seemed to be getting out all the things that he'd heard others say over the years.

_Ron:"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families._

The voice might have been his, but he realized that it was Malfoy's words that were now coming out of his mouth. Was this a joke? Had he really been that mean to her that it would turn into this? Was Malfoy playing some prank on him?

Draco hated Hermione, well actually any muggle-born, but recently he had left her alone. He'd been busy with Quidditch and running around trying to mess with Harry. They'd recently found out that he was the informer behind Rita Skeeter's continuing assault on Harry's credibility, but those reports had stopped after the wizards cup had ended. Everyone had assumed that Draco's attention no longer included harassing anyone other than harry. Out of his range of terror, everyone had relaxed, now it was clear that they had relaxed too much. Why would he do something like this?

How was he doing something like this?

He looked around the room wondering if Malfoy was somewhere around. He had the knack for being a talented wizard, picking up nonverbal jinx-blocking before anyone else, maybe this was something else he'd learned from one of the older boys in school.

_Hermione: How could you do this to me?  
Ron: "You don't know what I'm capable of, you don't know what I've done!"_

"What have I done?" he asked since the image of him seemed to be hinting that this was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to the way he felt about her.

Not able to keep his feelings in check, he reached for the paper and crumbled it up. The sound echoed in the room. When he looked up he realized that the place was empty. He'd day dreamed his way through class.

"It's not my fault," he said.

"What is not your fault Ronald?" Professor Trelawney appeared at his side, using that strange silent manner she moved around Hogwart's with.

He wondered randomly for a moment if she'd ended up at the Quidditch World Cup if she'd act that way. He'd seen a lot of crazy things at the event and prayed that even an old woman so set in her ways would losen up a little at a moment that called for cheering and laughter and movement.

"I didn't mean to do it," he said aloud.

"I know," she said.

He wasn't sure for a moment what she was referring to. If she had meant that he'd gotten all the way through class without paying attention he should agree with her, but he felt that maybe she'd seen the page in front of him. If she had maybe she too would blame him for all those horrible things he'd done.

"I've got to go to class," he said suddenly knowing that if that paper got into the wrong hands, namely Hermione's he could be digging himself out of a bigger hole than he was already in.

Peering at him over her big glasses she smiled, "How nice to see you in the physical world at last."

"Ye-yeah," he stuttered and got up and left the room.

**Stars lyrics  
**Artist: Switchfoot

Maybe I've been the problem  
Maybe I'm the one to blame  
But even when I turn it off and blame myself  
The outcome feels the same  
I've been thinking maybe I've been partly cloudy  
Maybe I'm the chance of rain  
And maybe I'm overcast  
And maybe all my luck's washed down the drain

Chorus:  
I've been thinking 'bout everyone  
Everyone, you look so lonely  
But when I look at the stars  
When I look at the stars  
When I look at the stars  
I see someone else  
When I look at the stars, the stars  
I feel like myself

Stars looking at a planet watching entropy and pain  
And maybe start to wonder how  
The chaos in our lives could pass as sane  
Ive been thinking about the meaning of resistance  
Of a world beyond my own  
And suddenly the infinite and penitent   
Began to look like home

Chorus

YOW!

Stars...stars  
Everyone everyone you feel so lonely   
Everyone, yeah, everyone you feel so empty

Chorus

I see someone...

(c) 1999-2007 Pit Pat Productions Email Me


	4. Chapter 4

JLBFFdotCOM

(c) 1999-2007 Pit Pat Productions

004: 5/18/07  
Prompt: 093. Someday You Will Be Loved 

TITLE: Unexpected  
SONG: #93 - Someday You Will Be Loved (Sung By Death Cab For A Cutie)  
AUTHOR: pbmaxca  
RATING: PG  
PAIRING: Ron/Hermione  
WORD COUNT: 1,878  
SUMMARY: Hermione finds "love" in an unexpected place.  
DISCLAIMER: NONE

For the first time in a long time, it had been a great day. She'd breezed her way through all of her classes, making sure to turn in a paper she'd written for Madam Pomfrey for her magical healthcare class she'd picked up as an elective this term. Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions had been a very informative book. She'd wondered while she was reading it if there was one on Magical Dentistry Ailments and Afflictions that she might share with her parents.

No real worries on her mind for the first time in a long time, she practically skipped towards the library. Her good mood was rare, but today she took advantage of the sunshine coming in the stain-glassed covered windows. She had more to look forward to that day. While schoolwork seemed to give her the most pleasure these days, there was a trip to Hogsmeade planned for that evening. A few of her fellow Gryffindor's were headed to Honeydukes Sweet Shop to celebrate the birthday of one of their eldest members.

It was rare that she got invited to things like this. She wanted to take full advantage of the evening and have as much fun as possible. She'd even put a spell on some knitting needles to make her a new outfit for the party.

She also had written a letter to her mother that she wanted to drop off at the Post Office there instead of taking the chance that it would be scanned by anyone at school. Pouring her heart out to her mother about her issues with Ron had become commonplace in her weekly letters to her mother and she didn't want do anything that would put a letter like the one she'd just written into the wrong hands.

"Herm-own-ninny?"

The moment his voice hit the air she felt her stomach drop. He so distracted her that she almost lost grip of the copies of The Dream Oracle and Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Vablatsky that she'd taken out from the library earlier in the week when she'd given the first years their tour of the restricted area.

She knew instantly who the voice belonged to, the strong accent wasn't a surprise to hear, but she was almost scared to turn around and see if it really was Viktor Krum who had called her name. She hadn't seen him in weeks and hadn't expected to, so to find him there at Hogwarts was more than a little bit of a surprise.

"Viktor," she finally said turning around to face him, knowing that it would just get worse if she tried to ignore that he was there.

Despite the lack of the heavy, tight-collared outer jacket most students from Durmstrang Institute wore, he instead wore a tan colored turtleneck with a red jumper over it. He looked about as casual as she had ever seen him. His posture didn't show it.

"Could I haff a vord?" He attempted a smile. The expression came out strangely. It didn't look like a smile at all, more as if he had a horrible toothache and he was trying to move his tongue in his mouth to touch the achy tooth.

She wanted to ask him if he was really in pain, but didn't dare it. Everything would get lost in translation and she didn't feel like carrying her heavy books like trying to explain it all to him.

Innocence flowed over his face as he nervously asked, "Vhere have you been Herm-own-ninny?"

"Where have I been?" she repeated. Had she missed something? Was this a joke? She surely would have known if they'd planned to see each other that day. It wasn't every day that a student from Durmstrang Institute appeared on Hogwart's property. It was even more rare that a Bulgarian International Quidditch Team Member visited.

She noticed other students staring at Viktor. He was an eyesore in the sea of dark robes that Hogwart's students wore.

"You no write."

She blinked at him a few times. "Oh," she said trying not to sound too condescending. She didn't want to speak to him as if he was a child, but sometimes she felt that she had to. They'd never been conversational partners.

_Hermione: Wouldn't know. We don't actually talk about the tournament. Actually, we don't really talk at all. Viktor's more of a physical being. I just mean he's not particularly loquacious. Mostly, he watches me study. It's a bit annoying, actually._

"I've been busy lately." She wasn't lying about that, but really if she thought about it there would have been time to write him if she had had the urge to do it.

"Oh," he said. He turned his head to the side and studied her for a moment. "Vot is wrong?"

"Nothing," she said and forced a smile. She pointed down the hallway and motioned for him to come with her. "I just didn't expect to see you. I'm—"

He shook his head and sighed seeming to understand that the moment was more awkward than she could take. "I vill go."

"No," she said knowing that she'd rather spend time with him than alone. "I'm on my way to the library if you'd like to walk with me."

"Yes," he said shortly in his normal speaking manner.

They walked down the hall then began to climb the stairs from the first floor where the hospital wing was, towards the fourth floor where the library was located.

"So how is your team doing?" she asked smiling for a moment as she remembered that was what Ron had spoken to Angelina about a few days before. She hadn't realized it at the time, but it was silly for Ron to even ask about the team. Angelina were on the same team and their hadn't been Quidditch that year anyway because of the TriWizard Tournament.

"Good." He reached and took the books from her hands. She thought for a moment that he might try to pronounce the titles in English, but he only took an extra breath before he tucked them under one arm.

Taking the stairs at a normal pace seemed to suck the breath from her. She wasn't the most athletic of people but four flights of stairs took their toll on her.

They were almost to the fourth floor when she realized who she might be running into. It wasn't completely crazy that he might be in that direction of the school, but it was just her luck that she found him coming down the stairs just as they reached the library floor.

"Ron," Viktor said greeting him almost friendly despite the fact that he never had been warm to anyone, she wasn't sure that Durmstrang Institute students could be warm.

Ron ignored them which only irritated Hermione. She knew he had no reason to start a conversation with her, but ignoring someone else who was with her seemed a bit extreme.

Viktor looked confused. "Vot is wrong with him?"

She shrugged and pointed towards the library. "He is mad."

"Me?"

"No," she said sadly and grabbed the books back from him. "Me."

They made their way into the library and she went to check her books in with the librarian, Irma Pince. She didn't mean to ignore Viktor, but the sooner she got her books in the sooner she could disappear again.

With some classes still in session, and the sunshine out, no one really wanted to stay indoors anyway so it wasn't surprising that there weren't that many people in the library, not that a person could see all the people in the library anyway, since it contained tens of thousands of books. Hermione had once read something about the exact number of books that it contained, but with her mind on Ron's behavior and Viktor's unexpected visit, she couldn't think of the number.

"Owe," she heard from across the room. Hermione looked around trying to figure out where Viktor had disappeared to. Irma had been known in the past put unusual jinxes in the books, to make sure that they are not mistreated and she could just bet that Viktor's large hands had been a little too rough on the pages of whatever he'd picked up.

When she found him, three rows into the fiction section, she was stunned to find Viktor looking at her with a completely innocent and puppy-dog face. She wondered for a moment if someone had hit him over the head with a love potion.

He rubbed his head and handed her a book. "Read."

"Read?" she asked.

He nodded.

Holding the book carefully, Hermione's eyes scanned the page. She was almost through the first paragraph when Viktor's thumb pressed down on the page. "Read."

Her eyes focused and she read the poem that he'd pointed to.

_The memories of me  
Will seem more like bad dreams  
Just a series of blurs  
Like I never occurred  
Someday you will be loved_

Her eyes welled up with tears the moment she realized that Viktor could see right through her. He seemed to know, despite the language barrier that she and Ron were having not a quarrel between friends, but a lover's quarrel and somehow she guessed that he knew that it was his presence that had caused Ron to be upset and quite at Viktor's greeting.

"I vill go," he said taking the book from her. He put it back into the stacks. "Is better."

She wanted to tell him to stay, that his kindness was what she needed at the moment, but there wasn't a way she could think to keep the much larger boy from going.

"Viktor," she said then lost her ability to speak. She had a million thoughts running through her head, a million things she wanted to tell him. But she couldn't. So she licked her lips and said, "Thank you."

He nodded, bowed a little and pointed towards the door. "We go."

She nodded back at him and followed him to the library door, wiping her face as she went.

When he paused just outside the library to hug her, she lost her balance a moment and ended up hugging him harder than she had planned. He didn't seem to notice though, and bowed again before excusing himself without another word.

She watched him walk away and wondered for a moment how she was going to explain this around school. There was no romance between them, but after the hug they'd just shared it would going to take more than a little magic for people to believe her.

Maybe it was fate that Ron appeared at the end of the hall. She had prayed that he wouldn't see Viktor, but it seemed now that Viktor wasn't trying to avoid him, he actually seemed to be looking for him. On purpose.

When the two boys approached each other she heard Viktor's gruff voice fill the air. The guy really needed to learn how to whisper, but that wasn't for her to teach him.

"I vant to know vot there is between you and Hermy- own-ninny."

Embarrassed by his bold statement to Ron, she quickly ducked back into the library before Ron could say anything to Viktor or to her.

**Someday You Will Be Loved  
**Sung By Death Cab For A Cutie

I once knew a girl  
In the years of my youth  
With eyes like the summer  
All beauty and truth  
In the morning I fled  
Left a note and it read  
Someday you will be loved.

I cannot pretend that I felt any regret  
Cause each broken heart will eventually mend  
As the blood runs red down the needle and thread  
Someday you will be loved

You'll be loved you'll be loved  
Like you never have known  
The memories of me  
Will seem more like bad dreams  
Just a series of blurs  
Like I never occurred  
Someday you will be loved

You may feel alone when you're falling asleep  
And every time tears roll down your cheeks  
But I know your heart belongs to someone you've yet to meet  
Someday you will be loved

CHORUS (x2)

Someday you will be loved  
Someday you will be loved

(c) 1999-2007 Pit Pat Productions Email Me


	5. Chapter 5

JLBFFdotCOM

(c) 1999-2007 Pit Pat Productions

005: 5/24/07  
Prompt: 083. Run 

TITLE: Speaking Up  
SONG: #83 Run (Sung By Snow Patrol)  
AUTHOR: pbmaxca  
RATING: PG  
PAIRING: Ron/Hermione  
WORD COUNT: 1,416  
SUMMARY: Ron takes a stand.  
DISCLAIMER: NONE

"I vant to know vot between you and Hermy- own-ninny." Krum squared his shoulders and stared at Ron intently. Although the taller boy wasn't touching him in any way, he felt some kind of pressure pressing him up against the wall.

Viktor Krum approaching him would have normally make Ron's breath catch in his throat, but this time it was something other than just his presence that started him. It was the accusing statement he issued along with the unexpected attention that made him feel instantly as if he had slugs in his mouth, the way he had when his Slug Curse had backfired.

He repeated his question, "I vant to know vot between you and Hermy- own-ninny."

A small crowd of students gathered, not because they thought there would be a fight, like children in a normal school would do. They gathered around because it was Viktor Krum, a Bulgarian International Quidditch Team Member, standing in the halls at Hogwarts. Hero worship was such an ugly thing. The guy had been at their school for months for the TriWizard Competition, but it was as if these kids hadn't ever laid eyes on Viktor in person.

He didn't see him show up, and actually hadn't seen him in weeks, but somehow Colin Creevey weaseled his way through the crowd and managed to snap a few pictures that he was sure to see in the Daily Prophet since Colin's goal since beginning at Hogwarts was to be a part of that publication.

"Col-lin," Ron groaned rubbing his eyes with his free hand while trying to block the flash of light with one of his school books. Ron knew he shouldn't be upset at the younger and more excitable kid, but flashes from a camera weren't really a good way to make a good impression. "What are you doing?"

"Sorry Ron," Colin said quickly ducking a little to take another picture. This time he twisted sideways a bit as if he thought another angle might make a better picture, "Just wanted to catch you and Viktor before he left.

"Get out of here Colin," Ron said then looked up at Viktor. It was hard to tell what his mood was, since his expression didn't seem to change much. Even without acknowledgement Ron was sure that Viktor wouldn't mind if Colin was acknowledged as a pest. Maybe Bulgarian International Quidditch Team Member's were used to this kind of thing, but regular Hogwarts students weren't.

"I vant to know—"

Although it had been a while since he'd heard his voice squeak, he knew that his voice wasn't going to be smooth when he opened it to speak. "I get it. I get it," Ron held up a hand and clasped his books hard to his side with the other, "You want to know what there is between me and Hermione?"

Krum nodded a single nod. "Yes."

He could have gone a whole long speech about meeting Hermione on the train as a first year and all the adventures of the last three years, but he doubted that Viktor Krum wanted all that information. He seemed more of a straight-forward type of thinker. Actually Ron would have to admit he thought the guy was probably pretty dense, a jock, wouldn't go as far as to say he was one step up from a Troll. "Maybe fifteen steps up from a troll," Ron absent-mindedly mumbled.

"Vot?

"Did I say that outloud?" he asked sheepishly.

"I vant—"

It would have been a perfect moment to stand up to Viktor and to the world and tell everyone how he felt about Hermione. He could have shouted it to the rooftops if he hadn't been so preoccupied with the image of Viktor Krum hitting him across the head like a beater might hit a bludger.

He heard a banging noise and looked down to see Viktor's boot covered foot tapping the floor.

"Nothing," he said quickly. If he hadn't collected himself he would have ducked in anticipation of Viktor hitting him.

"There is nothing?" Krum said looking more and more like a headmaster instead of a student.

Ron nodded this time, letting his voice rest. He was sure that Hermione had told Viktor that Ron thought Viktor was the type to use her. She was that kind of an honest girl, something that he loved and hated about her. She was the only one who would tell him the truth, but in turn she told him things sometimes that he didn't want to hear…that was when they were on speaking terms, which they weren't at the moment.

Krum nodded and walked away, beating that familiar pattern with his boots on the floor.

This was getting to be ridiculous. As much as Ron wanted to say that he and Hermione were friends and that they could live at the same school without bothering each other, it seemed that the rest of the world wanted to bother the two of them.

It took a minute to catch up with her. She was already on the second floor when he got to the staircases, that of course moved in the wrong direction when he tried to go down towards where she was.

"Hermione!" he called out. "Bloody Hell!" The staircase moved in the wrong direction.

She turned around and glared at him, hair whipping around with the movement, but didn't stop.

"Hermione!" he called again. "Bloody Hell!"

She still didn't stop.

Finally the staircase moved to attach to where he could run down the stairs to where she was.

"Hermione Granger!" he said in a forceful voice, "Stop right there."

"Ronald," she said and squared her shoulders. "What is it?" She seemed instantly annoyed.

Ron knew that this was going to get messy, but things needed to be said. He just hoped that he could get it all out before she dug into him about his tie probably wasn't straight and how he should be heading to class instead of running after her. While all of those things were good things, they always seemed to come out in a nagging tone.

"I'm going to say this one more time then don't bother me about it again, ok?"

"Say wha-at?" she emphasized using her more snotty voice.

He wanted to kiss her. He didn't know why. It wasn't a very kissable moment, but that was his first reaction when he saw her lick her lips. It was definitely an inappropriate thought to have about her, especially when business needed to be done.

"I don't know what I did to piss you off, but I'm tired of trying to make up to you. I've been tiptoeing around school trying not to hurt your feelings and well I'm going to stop now. Ok?" He heard himself rambling, but didn't stop.

She started to open her mouth to speak, but he didn't let her. "So tell your flunkie boyfriend to leave me alone."

He started to walk away. He even turned his back to her, which he never probably would have done in the past. It wasn't like him to act that way, well without it being truly necessary.

"He's not—"

Her words were like a gunshot announcing the start of a race. Ron got completely frustrated with her. Every moment she'd ever rebutted information that he'd given her came to mind and he blew up at her.

"I mean Bloody Hell!" He flipped around to face her, "It's not my fault that I didn't think to ask you to the dance. I didn't even know that you wanted to go to the dance in the first place. You always spend so much time in the library and seem to ignore every guy in school, so I just thought it'd be silly to ask you. I wanted to ask you."

He paused for a moment and repeated it a little slower this time, realizing that he really had wanted to ask her, that was, after he found out that she was upset that he hadn't asked.

"Ronald," she said.

He waved a hand at her and turned around again. "Just get over it."

When she didn't say anything after his tirade he knew that he needed to retreat. If he could have apporated he would have used that method. Instead he turned on his heel and walked away adding, "So if you want to talk to me talk…but for now I'm going to get on with my bloody life."

* * *

**Run Lyrics  
**Sung By Snow Patrol

I'll sing it one last time for you  
Then we really have to go  
You've been the only thing that's right  
In all i've done.

And I can barely look at you  
But every single time I do  
I know we'll make it anywhere  
Anywhere from here

Chorus:  
Light up, Light up  
As if you have a choice  
Even if you cannot hear my voice  
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder, louder  
And we'll run for our lives  
I can hardly speak I understand  
Why you can't raise your voice to say

To think I might not see those eyes  
It makes it so hard not to cry  
And as we say our long goodbyes  
I nearly do.

Chorus

Louder, louder  
And we'll run for our lives  
I can hardly speak I understand  
Why you can't raise your voice to say

Slower, slower  
We don't have time for that  
All I want is to find an easier way  
To get out of our little heads

Have heart my dear  
We're bound to be afraid  
Even if it's just for a few days  
Making up for all this mess.

Chorus

(c) 1999-2007 Pit Pat Productions Email Me


	6. Chapter 6

JLBFFdotCOM

(c) 1999-2007 Pit Pat Productions

006: 5/24/07  
Prompt: 080. What Happened To Us? 

TITLE: Over And Over Again  
SONG: #80 - What Happened To Us? (Sung by Hoobastank)  
AUTHOR: pbmaxca  
RATING: PG  
PAIRING: Ron/Hermione  
WORD COUNT: 1,392  
SUMMARY: She gets by with a little help from a friend. A little light gets shed on her problems with Ron.  
DISCLAIMER: NONE

"What's wrong?" Harry asked her as she walked into the common room. He was sitting on one of the armchairs in front of the fire with a book open in his lap. His glasses were off, and the expression on his face looked as if he had just rubbed his face to wake himself up. The lightening bolt scar on his forehead was only a slightly more red color than the rest of his face.

"As if you really care," she snapped back at him, marching passed him towards the spiral staircase that would take her to the girl's dorm. The stone flooring of the building lent for stomping that seemed to echo out of the common room to other parts of the school. She'd once complained after she heard a girl stomp through the space. She'd thought that the noise was coming from a troll not a first year who had gotten a howler from her mother over her grades.

"You and Ron fighting again?" Harry asked as he put his glasses back on carefully so that he wouldn't smug the glass. He said it with such a simple tone that it almost shocked her that he would take this all so lightly. He'd been distracted lately due to the tournament, but she had thought with that all over that he would be able to snap back into the real world.

She turned around on the fourth step up the stairs. She answered with a swift nod, "Yes."

He didn't seem to believe her. If he had he probably wouldn't have continued. "I know I shouldn't butt in—"

"Then don't," she said and moved up another stair. This was just like him trying to save the world. At first he'd been terrified of trying to live up to the prophecy about him, but now he seemed to revel in it and she hated that.

"Hermione," Harry said.

"Don't start Harry. You don't have a clue about what's going on."

"I think I do," he said still calm and cool as ice.

She put her hands on her hips defiantly. She wasn't one who liked to hear that she was wrong. Maybe if a professor told her something she'd listen, but little Harry Potter wasn't going to tell her that being upset right now or that her feud with Ron wasn't necessary. "So what's going on?"

"Ron likes you."

She shook her head, tears coming to her eyes. "He does not."

Harry nodded that Ron did in deed like her.

"Then why--?" Her voice cut off as she started to think about Ron yelling at her. This was all so confusing. She thought for a long time that she could fix any problem that she was faced with given enough time to study up on the subject, but it looked like relationship and what she thought might be love, really was too complicated, even for her.

Harry's voice was sympathetic when he spoke. "You know that right?"

She shook her head, turning her hurt into anger, knowing that it was weak to show anything else. She was afraid that someone might see her in this confused state and she might lose all the reputation she'd built up over the last few years at school. At home no one knew her as a strong willed person, and she wasn't about to let that personality leak over from the Muggle World.

"Likes me?" She said in anger. "Well he's got a funny way of showing it. Like yelling at me in the hallway really wasn't what I expected."

Harry nodded in agreement. "It's not that he wants to yell at you, but it's his reaction since you yelled at him at the Ball. If you hadn't I think he would have asked you out a long time ago."

Hermione shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

"You didn't see him at the ball?" Harry asked.

Hermione nodded that she hadn't. Of course she'd paid attention to him while she was there, but moments of her evening she'd been swept off her feet by Viktor and not wanting to be a bad date, she'd paid attention to him instead of trying to look for Ron. It actually was the first time in a long time that she hadn't worried about him.

Harry continued to explain, "He's upset about you and Viktor."

"He's jealous of Viktor." She came back down the stairs and flopped onto the couch next to where Harry was sitting. "He's jealous of everyone, jealous of you too."

It wasn't really true, Ron wasn't jealous of Harry or anyone for that matter. He was just a little hurt that he hadn't been in on all the adventures. Forever the little brother, he thought that he was getting the short end of the stick when it came to participation due to the fact that he hadn't been a part of the Tri-Wizard Cup and that his friends' attention had been focused so hard on other people the last few weeks.

"He and I aren't the issue here," Harry said calmly. "Ron is jealous and acting so strangely because he is interested in you and you won't give him the time of day."

She sat back hard in her chair and took a deep breath. She saw the image of Ron yelling at her and screaming at her and telling her that he never wanted to speak to her again in the back of her mind. The image made her feel completely conflicted since her plan to see less of Ron clearly had led to him yelling at her.

"I could have made it work. I could have found a way," she said loudly then mumbled, "We kept it all inside. Now it's too late."

"What is?"

"Nothing," she said and sighed. "This is just a big mess."

Harry nodded. "Definitely."

When she heard a noise at the window she looked up to find an owl at the window. It was clutching a package in it's claws and giving her a desperate look, as if it was an important package that couldn't wait.

She moved away from Harry towards the window and the owl came flying into the room, going straight for Hermione's lap. Wincing a bit the owl landed on her lap, let out a squeek then jumped to sit on the back of the couch.

"What is it?" he asked looking at the box. He dug into his pocket and brought out a cracker and fed it to the owl.

She shook her head to indicated that she didn't know what was inside the package, then she flipped it around and read the address information. "It's from my mother," she said with a slight smile.

"Open it," Harry prompted.

She did as he suggested and found a letter and a small box of powder inside.

"What is it?"

"A letter," she said and sniffed at the powder in the box. "And I think some Floo Powder."

"Floo Powder?" harry asked, "From your mother?"

"I guess so," she replied and opened the letter.

_Dear Hermione,_

_Parker Winslow has invited you to his fifteenth birthday party this Saturday. Normally I wouldn't suggest you visit home during the school year, but your Muggle friends miss you while you're away at school. I've noticed a lack of letters which probably means that you are missing home as well._

_Please think about coming home for the weekend. If you need a letter to the school to let you come home, please send me a letter back and I'll get one out to you as soon as possible. Your father and I miss you._

_Included is some floo powder that Mrs. Weasley sent over last summer when you went to visit them. It should be enough to get you to the Leaky Cauldren. Your father will pick you up and take you to the party._

_Hope to hear from you soon_

_Love, Your Mother_

"Are you going to go home for the weekend?" Harry asked the moment she was done reading.

Thinking about her friends back home made her smile. With them she didn't worry about Ron or Harry or exams or anything. Home was still that safe, calm place, that she needed to visit every so often to keep her sanity.

"Yes," she said, "Definitely."

* * *

**What Happened To Us?  
**Sung by Hoobastank

Verse 1:  
I thought it was too good to be true  
I found somebody who understands me  
someone who would help me to get through  
and fill an emptiness i had inside me  
but you kept inside and I just denied  
some things that we should have both said  
I knew it was too good to be true  
cause i'm the only one who understands me

Chorus:  
what happened to us  
we used to be so perfect, now i'm lost and lonely  
what happened to us  
I know deep inside I worry did I use my only

Verse 2:  
remember we thought we were too young  
to really know what it takes to make it  
but we had survived off what we have done  
till we could show them all that they were mistaken  
who would have known the lies that would grow  
until we could see right through them  
remember they knew it we were too young  
we still don't know what it takes to make it

Chorus:

Bridge:  
I could have made it work, I could have found a way,  
should have done our best to see another day  
but we kept it all inside I knew it was too late  
and now we live with the consequence we made to throw it all away

Chorus:

(c) 1999-2007 Pit Pat Productions Email Me


	7. Chapter 7

9026.doc

Written by pbmaxca

Property of © 1999-2007

TITLE: Gone  
SONG: #64 – Without You (Sung By The Cast of the Broadway Musical "Rent")  
AUTHOR: pbmaxca  
RATING: PG  
PAIRING: Ron/Hermione  
WORD COUNT: 1,545  
SUMMARY: It finally hits Ron. What he said can't be taken back. He hopes now that it won't be taken literally.  
DISCLAIMER: NONE 

If he did know better he would have thought that someone put him under a spell during the night. It felt like one of the treats that George was working on over the last few months, one that would fake flu symptoms so that a student could get out of going to classes. It was supposed to wear off in about two hours, but the recipe hadn't been right and had made his test subject, Ron of course, sick for two weeks.

He knew no one in his house would do that and no one else had access to his room, but as he pushed himself off the mattress, every bone in his body ached and his head felt cloudy. He could see ok, but even his hearing seemed to be blocked by some high pitched noise

One thing he could make out was the sound of his own voice reverberating in his head. He wished that it was of him making some important comment in class or some great speech to his Quidditch team. Instead it was the previous day's rage towards Hermione that was coming out.

"_I mean Bloody Hell!" He flipped around to face her, "It's not my fault that I didn't think to ask you to the dance. I didn't even know that you wanted to go to the dance in the first place. You always spend so much time in the library and seem to ignore every guy in school, so I just thought it'd be silly to ask you. I wanted to ask you." _

Part of him instantly wanted to take those words back, pull them back from the rest of the universe and hide them in some cave, much like the one the basilisk had been housed in underneath Hogwarts during their first year.

The other half of him was glad that it had all been done and said. There was relief over knowing that she knew exactly how he felt about the whole situation. He had felt trapped walking around the school dealing with her feelings all the time. Now he could do or say whatever he wanted and get on with his days without worrying about his every step. She had been harder to handle than McGonagall when it came to holding his tongue.

Despite the drama of the day before and the internal drama that was brewing now, his eyes focused on his bed and the other beds in his room. Again he was the last one to get out of bed that morning. He wasn't lazy. He really wasn't, but if he could get away with sleeping, he would take a few extra minutes to rest. His legs unfolded and his feet hit the floor and his lungs seemed to pull in air, even if through shallow breaths. He felt as if he'd just played in a Quidditch Tournament, instead of just sleeping or rather not sleeping through the night.

His feet found his slippers on the floor without him having to look for them and he pushed himself out of bed and stumbled towards the end of the bed where he grabbed pants, a shirt and his school sweater.

Next would be a quick trip to find his towel, which the boys had decided would dry better in the drafty hallway instead of in their bathroom. A few towels had disappeared, all thought to be prizes that Nearly Headless Nick had hunted down, but when he went to collect his "R" labeled towel he found it hanging right where he'd left it.

To his own surprise, he felt as if he could get up and go to class, that was after he took a much needed hot shower to melt away the rest of the aches and pains that a boy his age shouldn't be feeling. He thought, on his way to the bathroom though, that he should see Madam Pomfrey. He didn't want to be a baby about it, but he thought he might check to see if his ailments came from more than just a restless night of sleep.

"Ron!"

He jumped a bit and looked over to see Harry standing in the doorway with a shocked look on his face.

"What?" He knew he shouldn't be annoyed with Harry, but the word came out that way anyway.

"You're about to go into the girls-" He pointed towards the door.

Suddenly Ron felt as if he'd just taken hold of a port key. The world around him spun him for a loop and when he was stable enough to pay attention again he looked around and suddenly realized that he was standing in the common room in his boxer shorts. Without realizing it he'd walked by three Gryffindor first year girls who were now giggling at him in the corner instead of doing homework that was laid out in front of them.

"Bloody Hell!" He turned and immediately marched up the stairway, thanking his lucky stars that Hermione wasn't around to comment on his latest mess up. She would love to add this to the already long list of things that she could tease him about.

After a shower, Ron returned to his room remembering that he needed a sheet of parchment for an assignment that day. When he got to his bed, Harry was sitting on his own mattress on the bed next to his.

"So are you ok?" Harry asked.

"Fine," he said shortly. Although he knew Harry didn't cheat to get his name into the Tri-Wizard Cup, he still wasn't over the idea that Harry got special privileges. Although he wouldn't admit it to anyone and try as he might, Ron was naturally as jealous as any other student would be of the boy who seemed to be the headmaster's and head mistress's favorite student.

"Ron," Harry said firmly. "You aren't still mad about—"

"No," he said answering before they had to have that discussion again.

Harry nodded, "Hermione is going through the same thing you know."

"When did you get so nosy?" Ron asked sharply. He turned to his friend and looked at him sheepishly when he realized how harsh his voice was.

"She even is going home this weekend to get away from—" Harry stopped talking and took a deep breath. "You two both need a break. Hopefully you can both realize that you're perfect for each other—"

"Perfect for what?" he asked but continued before an answer was produced. "I swear everyone is making such a big deal about this. I think because of that whole screaming match at the Yule Ball everyone assumes that we're having a lover's fight or something." He shook. "Gross."

Harry only smiled at him. "Gotta love that screaming match."

"Can you believe that she would act like that?" he said, "She'd probably have laughed in my face if I had asked her to the Ball anyway. And her and Viktor seemed pretty chummy you know. He was holding her hand and she was looking at him like—" He batted his eyelashes trying to imitate the way that she was looking at Viktor.

"He swept her off her feet and actually treated her like a girl. You should try it sometime."

"Speaking of that," Ron said, "What about you and Cho?"

"Me and Cho?" Harry turned pink in the face.

"Yeah," Ron pointed at his friend. "That's what I thought." Ron narrowed his eyes. "Not so easy to play innocent when the question is directed towards you, is it?"

"Ok," Harry said, "So if you think I'm acting the way you are then you must really like Hermione then," he said.

Ron sat down on the corner of his bed, made sure that no one was in sight and sighed, "I love the girl, or at least I think I do. I don't know though. Half the time I hope a blugger hits her in the head and the other time I want to kiss her." He flopped back onto the mattress. "I think though I'm gonna die if she really takes my advice and leaves me alone."

"You're totally gone over her." Harry smiled widely.

"Yeah," Ron admitted. "Definitely gone over her. I don't know how or why or when it happened. But it did and it happened with a big boom."

"So," Harry said, "Let's skip out this weekend and follow her to London. We can get a room at the Leaky Calderon and we'll see what she's up to."

"Spy on her?" he asked.

"Not spy," Harry said, "Watch over her the way you'd watch over Ginny when she goes to a friend's house." Harry nodded at him knowingly. Despite having busy summers, they'd taken it upon themselves two or three times to follow Ginny when she'd snuck off to the library supposedly to study. It turned out that she really had been studying, but they had been able to sit through the whole study session under the Invisibility Cloak without being caught.

"I guess we could," Ron said, "Although if Mom finds out I'm sure to get another Howler and you know how the last one was."

"I'll explain it to her," Harry said with a cheesy smile, "Your mother loves me."

Without You Lyrics  
Sung By The Cast of Rent 

MIMI  
Without you, the ground thaws, the rain falls, the grass grows.  
Without you, the seeds root, the flowers bloom, the children play.  
The stars gleam, the poets dream, the eagles fly, without you.  
The earth turns, the sun burns, but I die, without you.  
Without you, the stars roar the breeze warms, the girl smiles, the cloud moves.   
Without you, the tides change, the boys run, the oceans crash.   
The crowds roar, the days soar, the babies cry, without you.  
The moon glows, the river flows, but I die, without you.

MIMI & ROGER  
The world revives, colors renew,  
but I know blue, only blue, lonely blue, within me blue.

MIMI  
Without you.  
Without you the hand gropes, the ear hears, the pulse beats.

BOTH  
Without you, the eyes gaze, the legs walk, the lungs breathe.

ROGER  
The mind churns!

MIMI  
The mind churns!

ROGER  
The heart yearns!

MIMI  
The heart yearns!

BOTH  
The tears dry, without you. Life goes on, but I'm gone.

MIMI  
Cause I die, without you.

ROGER  
Without you.

BOTH  
Without you


	8. Chapter 8

9026.doc

Written by pbmaxca

Property of © 1999-2007

TITLE: Foot Loose  
SONG: #96 – Give It To Me (Sung By Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado)  
AUTHOR: pbmaxca  
RATING: PG  
PAIRING: Ron/Hermione  
WORD COUNT: 1,390  
SUMMARY: Unexpectedly Hermione lets loose with some Muggle friends back home.  
DISCLAIMER: NONE 

"I still can't believe you've never been here before!" Parker screamed over the music playing in the club. While Harry had the distinction of being "the one who lived", and Ron had always had a love-hate relationship, Peter was unlike any boy she went to school with. He wore a replica of a white Manchester United soccer jersey, and jeans that were way more fashionable than she was used to seeing at Hogwarts. He looked trendy, like the boys she'd seen on the cover of magazines in the shops in London. He looked like a Muggle.

Hermione nodded at him wishing for a moment that there was a spell that would make the noise in the room go away so that she could hear him better. There probably was, but of course she hadn't learned that yet and even if she had learned it the Improper Use of Magic Office would surely find her even before the words were out of her mouth and send her away for using magic in front of a Smuggle.

It had already been a long day, starting out with a Floo Powder trip to the Leaky Caldron where her father had picked her up in his car, taken her to lunch, then home to change into more Muggle-appropriate clothing for the party.

It was the first time in weeks she had been out of her school uniform or the long pants she normally wore around school. She'd chosen something that looked like what she imagined other people would be wearing and while her parents thought it might be a little too revealing for her age, insisting she take a sweater along with her, she set out for an afternoon and evening of fun away from Hogwarts and anyone associated with it.

From home, she got a ride and spent the afternoon at Parker's house.

Initially when she'd arrived she felt a little out of it. Everyone wanted to know how school was going. The boys wanted to know if they had good sports teams at her school and the girls wanted to know if there were any cute boys. She was used to this kind of questioning and answered all their questions without revealing anything that might bring trouble upon her later. She even revealed a little about Ron, but changed his name to protect him from anything that these people might say later.

Before long a group of them decided to go dancing. Dancing wasn't normally what Hogwarts students did. Of course they knew how to dance, but it was just different. Although she tried to hide her nervousness about the whole ordeal, it really wasn't something she had counted on doing. No one else seemed to be worried about wearing jeans and sweaters to the club so she didn't either.

Dance clubs were definitely a new experience for her. Normally in the summers she spent time reading, riding her bike, and swimming in the neighborhood pool. She had contact with other Muggle children, hence the invitation to the party, but she wasn't always up to date with what they were interested in, since none of that seemed important when she was in the wizarding world. Now she was standing smack dab in the middle of one of London's best under-aged clubs with a group of kids who were dressed way beyond their years. While they had all shown up at the party in sweaters and jeans, it was clear that she had picked right. The moment they were inside, their sweaters were stripped off to reveal spaghetti strapped shirts or shirts that revealed more skin that she'd seen students back at school ever reveal.

She never had wanted so badly to be in the wizarding world. At least there it wasn't about how short your skirt was or how low your shirt was. It was a confusing evening for her. She had always thought of London and her parents as being home, but now she longed for school and the people there.

"Come on and dance," Parker urged her, tugging on her hand. She hadn't even noticed him taking it, but now that she did see that he was holding onto her, she thought about the two other boys she'd held hands with in the past. Ron maybe didn't count since most the times that they had held hands they'd been too distracted by the danger they were in to pay attention to each other.

And then there was Viktor.

Viktor's hands, while gentle with hers, had felt like sandpaper. His athletic history and his upbringing had caused rough calluses to form on his hands. The pressure he used was light, but it was clear that he was more comfortable holding onto a broom or a ball or a bat rather than a girl's hand.

She nodded at Peter and put the drink down she'd been holding. She wove her way through the crowd, holding his hand and eventually ended up on the dance floor. She wasn't sure that her waltzing lessons before the Yule Ball would help her here, but she found a beat to dance to and even started to enjoy herself.

"There you go," he said with a smile at her as they danced.

To an outsider there would be nothing strange about Parker and Hermione dancing, but Hermione couldn't help but to think of Ron. She thought for a moment that she'd seen him in the crowd, but it had only been a red-headed look-a-like that she'd seen. He turned out to look nothing like Ron from the front, even if he'd looked almost exactly him from behind.

When her group of friends started dancing to a new song, she found herself falling in love with it. There was a certain part where a girl was singing that somehow hit home with her.

_Nelly Furtado  
I'm the type of girl to look you dead in the eye-eye  
I'm real as it come if you don't know why I'm fly  
Seen you tryna switch it up but girl you ain't that dope  
I'm a Wonder Woman, let me go get my rope  
I'm a supermodel and mami, see mami  
Amnesty International got Bangkok to Montauk on lock  
love my ass and my abs in the video of "Promiscuous"  
My style is ri-dic-dic-diculous, 'diculous, 'diculous_

Letting her mind clear she concentrated only on the beat of the song and the words and the smiles of the people around her. It had been so long since she'd had a truly great evening without having to think about Lord Voldemort, Harry, homework, or Ron.

She didn't know if there was any music in the wizarding world that was so empowering. She'd always felt pretty secure with herself or she tended to fake it well when she wasn't. She even made a mental note to try to get a CD of the song before she headed back to school.

"Come here," Peter said when she was done dancing to the song. He pulled over to a corner and stood there staring at her for a long time before he made a move towards her. She didn't know exactly what was going on, but when his lips pressed against hers, she found herself kissing him back.

When he pulled back from her he smiled at her and said into her ear, "I've been wanting to do that for about a year now."

Her eyes opened widely, not in shock from his words, but from the image that was just over Peter's shoulder.

Ron was standing there behind him staring at her and he didn't look too pleased.

When she finally blinked she opened her eyes again to find no one standing behind Peter. She didn't know if it was her boggart again or if it was just some sick illusion she'd imagined. Either way, the message was clear. She shouldn't be kissing Peter, no matter how innocent it might be. If she could deal with Ron and all that came with him, she surely shouldn't be kissing other boys.

Her legs seemed to realize what happened and she felt herself fall a bit. Being the gentleman that he was Peter caught her as she was about to fall.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Just lost my footing," she said, "I'll be ok in a minute."

**Give It To Me Lyrics**  
Artist(Band):Timbaland

Timbaland  
Is it going? Is it going?  
Is it going? Is it going?  
I don't know.. what you're lookin' for

ooooh yupper

Nelly Furtado  
I'm the type of girl to look you dead in the eye-eye  
I'm real as it come if you don't know why I'm fly  
Seen you tryna switch it up but girl you ain't that dope  
I'm a Wonder Woman, let me go get my rope  
I'm a supermodel and mami, see mami  
Amnesty International got Bangkok to Montauk on lock  
love my ass and my abs in the video of "Promiscuous"  
My style is ri-dic-dic-diculous, 'diculous, 'diculous

Nelly + (Justin)  
If you see us in the club, we'll be actin' real nice  
If you see us on the floor, you'll be watchin' all night  
We ain't hear to hurt nobody  
(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)  
Wanna see you work your body  
(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)

Timbaland  
When Timbo is in the party, everybody put up they hands  
I get a half a mil' for my beats, you get a couple gra-an-and  
Never gon' see the day that I ain't got the upper hand  
I'm respected from Californ-I-A, all the way down to Japan  
I'm a real producer and you just a piano man  
Your songs don't top the charts, I heard 'em, I'm not a fa-an-an  
Niggas talkin' greasy, I'm the one that gave them they chance  
Somebody need to tell them that they can't do it like I can

Nelly + (Justin)  
If you see us in the club, we'll be actin' real nice  
If you see us on the floor, you'll be watchin' all night  
We ain't hear to hurt nobody  
(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)  
Wanna see you work your body  
(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)

Justin Timberlake  
Could you speak up and stop mu-mumbling, I don't think you came in clear  
When you're sittin' on the top, it's hard to hear you from way up here  
I saw you tryin' to act cute on TV, "Just let me clear the air..."  
We missed you on the charts last week, damn, that's right you wasn't there  
If se-sexy never left, then why's everybody on my shi-it-it  
Don't hate on me just because you didn't come up with it  
So if you see us in the club, go on and walk the other way  
Cause our run will never be over, not at least until we say

Nelly + Justin  
If you see us in the club, we'll be actin' real nice  
If you see us on the floor, you'll be watchin' all night  
We ain't hear to hurt nobody  
(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)  
Wanna see you work your body  
(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)

Nelly (Justin)  
Oh.. (Damn, improve)  
Oh.. (Damn, improve)  
Oh.. (Damn, improve)  
Oh.. (Damn, improve)

Repeat

Nelly + Justin  
... club, we'll be actin' real nice  
If you see us on the floor, you'll be watchin' all night  
We ain't hear to hurt nobody  
(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)  
Wanna see you work your body  
(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)

If you see us in the club, we'll be actin' real nice  
If you see us on the floor, you'll be watchin' all night  
We ain't hear to hurt nobody  
(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)  
Wanna see you work your body  
(So give it to me, give it to me, give it to me)


	9. Chapter 9

9026.doc

Written by pbmaxca

Property of © 1999-2007

TITLE: Tripping  
SONG: #44 -- Chain of Fools (Sung By Aretha Franklin)  
AUTHOR: pbmaxca  
RATING: PG  
PAIRING: Ron/Hermione  
WORD COUNT:  
SUMMARY: Ron tries to get out of Hogwarts for some rest.  
DISCLAIMER: NONE 

"Harry, can I ask a favor?"

"Sure Ron," Harry said enthusiastically putting down his book, folding his arms on the table and looking at his friend with bright wide eyes through his glasses.

Ron hated to ask him for anything these days. He'd learned over the last few weeks that being independent wasn't all that bad. He'd been called Harry Potter's sidekick so many times and had tired of being asked, "Where's Harry?" when he showed up places along. The only reason he would even dare walk to the study hall room was because he needed out of school for a few hours and Harry was the only one who could help.

Taking a deep breath, he moved his weight from one foot to the other then took another deep breath. He listened to his heart beat heavily in his ears, swallowed then gathered his courage. He leaned across the table a bit and asked in a hushed voice, "Can I borrow the Marauder's Map?"

It hadn't taken him long to figure out that the Marauder's Map was his key to freedom for the week. He could have traveled by Floo Powder, but was afraid that the common room fire place wouldn't be available until too late at night to use. His parents would kill him if he appeared in their fireplace in the middle of the night. What he needed is a way to get out of the castle without getting caught. Using the map that showed all of Hogwarts was the only way since he couldn't really aparate too well yet.

His friend only looked at him strangely for a moment before saying something. "Sure," Harry said then narrowed his eyes, "Why?"

"I just need to borrow it. I'll be really careful with it and I'll return it in the morning."

"In the morning?" Harry said and looked at the clock on the wall.

"Yes," Ron said and kicked his toe into the ground nervously, trying not to look at his friend in the eyes.

"I guess," Harry said, "It's up in my trunk."

"Can I get it?" Ron asked.

"Let me," Harry said and gathered his books into a pile, "Not that I mind you going up there, but sometimes Hedwig can be a little overprotective. He's been flying outside my window lately and if the window is open he'll swoop in an attack."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Harry smiled, "It was kind of funny the other morning while you were in class. He swooped in and landed on Colin Creevy as he was trying to take a picture of me.

Ron let himself laugh a little, something he hadn't done with Harry in a long time. "I can't believe that kid is still after you like he is." He shook his head.

Harry shrugged. "I understand that he wants to be a reporter, but does he have to chose me as his obsession in life?"

Although Ron didn't understand being the center of attention like that, he forced a smile, "I know what you mean."

"So am I allowed to ask where are you going?" Harry asked.

"No," Ron said immediately.

"Can I ask why you're going?" Harry asked.

"I need a break from school…from Hogwarts…" He didn't add anything about Hermione or about needing time away from Harry, but his friend seemed to realize that his need to leave was real and serious.

"Are you going home?"

"Maybe," Ron said, "I haven't decided yet."

"You know this is the weekend that Hermione is in London."

"I know," Ron said knowing that he never would forget the way his stomach had dropped when Harry had told him that Hermione was leaving school for the weekend. In the past the threesome had done everything together and it had been strange to hear news about her that didn't come straight from her mouth.

"You aren't going there, are you?"

"No," Ron said with a firm shake of his head.

He wanted to tell his friend how their relationship now looked as if it was unfixable. He'd been a fool to think that they could get through this without some damage, but he hadn't really started to think that he was over with until he'd heard about Hermione leaving school. Even though he knew that she wouldn't miss a class, knowing that she wasn't around depressed him.

When they got to the room Harry went to find the map and Ron packed himself up a backpack similar to the one he'd taken with him to the Quidditch World Cup. It was a light pack, just a change of clothes and a few candies he had left over from his last trip to Honeydukes.

"That's all you're taking with you?" Harry asked.

Ron nodded yes.

"Do you need any money?" Harry asked.

Ron nodded no.

"Do you need any extra food?" Harry asked, "I think I might have an extra pumpkin pastie."

"No," Ron said feeling his temper getting out of control, "Just the map."

Harry handed over what looked to be a blank piece of parchment folded as any other map would be folded. To outsiders it would just look like a piece of parchment. Few really knew how to use the map let alone that it even existed. "Be careful and don't let anyone steal this."

"I won't," Ron said feeling instantly that Harry was talking down to him.

Throwing his backpack over his shoulders, he stuck the map inside his robes and strode out of the room. Once alone, he reached for his wand. The fourteen inches of willow wood felt strange in his hand. He hadn't used his wand in days, at least not outside of class.

Ducking into an alcove, he turned his back to the hallway and unfolded the map, tapped it with his wand and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

The map appeared on what had been blank paper. He could see little foot prints moving around on the map with names attached to them. It took him a moment to figure out where all his professors were at the moment, but once he did, he found a pathway that would lead him to the statue of the witch on the third floor. From there he would use the Dissendium spell which would open the pathway so that he could head to Hogsmeade and then would be able to make his way home without getting into trouble.

He could see Harry still up in their room, sitting just about where his bed was. He was probably studying, not that he needed. No one would care if he got good grades or not. He would be passed through the grades and Ron was sure would get a job and live happily ever after no matter what he wrote for answer three on his History test next week.

The one thing that he did find disturbing was the lack of feet prints marked with Hermione's name. He took a deep breath when the emotion hit him. Damn all these feelings that he was feeling. He needed to get his head together, which was the exact reason for him getting away now.

"Stupid girl," he said shaking his head at the map.

Figuring that he didn't need to look at the map the whole way, he tapped it again with his wand. "Mischief managed."

"What's managed Weasley?"

Ron turned around to face Draco Malfoy. The tall boy with pale skin and angled face with silver-blond hair, seemed to almost glow in the dim hallway despite being dressed in his dark uniform and green and silver tie.

"Nothing," Ron said pushing the map into the back of his pants, underneath his robes.

"You sure Weasley?"

Ron nodded.

"Where is your little girlfriend?"

"I don't have one."

Draco looked up and down the hallway. "Where's Potter?"

"How the bloody hell am I supposed to know?" Ron answered.

Before he knew what was happening Draco was saying a spell. Ron wasn't sure what he'd said or what he'd done with him, but when he blinked against a bright flash of light he found that he couldn't open his eyes again.

For the first time in a long time Ron wished that he hadn't been such a fool. He could have used some friends now, even if moments before he didn't want to have anything to do with them.

**Chain of Fools  
**Sung By Aretha Franklin

Chain, chain, chain, chain, chain, chain  
Chain, chain, chain, chain of fools  
Five long years I thought you were my (wo)man  
But I found out I'm just a link in your chain  
You got me where you want me  
I ain't nothing but your fool  
You treated me mean oh you treated me cruel  
Chain, chain, chain, chain of fools

Every chain has got a weak link  
I might be weak child, but I'll give you strength  
You told me to leave you alone  
My father said come on home  
My doctor said take it easy  
Whole bunch of lovin is much too strong  
I'm added to your chain, chain, chain  
Chain, chain, chain, chain,  
Chain, chain of fools

One of these mornings the chain is gonna break  
But up until then, yeah, I'm gonna take all I can take  
Chain, chain, chain, chain, chain, chain  
Chain, chain, chain, chain of fools


End file.
